The Thing About "About A Boy"

I was fully intending to go out tonight. It's a Friday night. I'm on vacation. And I'm single. Why shouldn't I go spend it by painting the town red (where did that expression come from?) and hanging with the beautiful people? Well, the short answer is this. It's bloody -31 degrees Celsius outside! I know. This is Canada for Chrissake. We should be accustomed to this weather. Normally I am, but getting dolled up for hanging out in a lounge does not usually require long underwear and two sweaters.

Instead I opted to hang with my oldest and dearest friend, Cinder-Hella. (Obviously, "Cinder-Hella" is NOT her real name, but I enjoy giving my peeps their own unique identities in my version of reality.) Cinder-Hella (CH for short) lives with her parents and her two not-so-ugly step-sisters who enjoy hanging around us like white on rice when CH is not being forced into some magic guilt-ridden task which usually involves being quarantined at home or self-flagellation. Where are your fairy godmothers when you need them? Probably stuck at home with frozen fairy wings.

I bundled my tiny self into several layers of clothing so much that I resembled a 10-year-old boy about to play snow fort and find himself buried purposefully as the foundation of said fort by much older, meaner boys. Then I headed off to CH's house. Brought along the Hugh Grant flick, "About A Boy". We sat and watched the film with said not-so-ugly step-sisters, Selma and Patty, who were permanently affixed to the living room couches.

This movie has significant meaning for me. It was almost one year ago that I first watched this film on DVD. The film is basically about Hugh Grant's man-child character not having any meaning or attachments in his life, and how he goes about making this life change and starts connecting meaningfully with people. The main theme is: "No man is an island." Last year when I saw this film by myself, I was in a miserable state of affairs just having gone on a break with my boyfriend of 5 years. Literally, the next morning after watching the movie, Mr. Gutless Wonder (let's call him Pinocchio, cause he was wooden and not at all a real boy!), calls me up on the telephone and breaks up with me! He was the type to not make connections in life, and then wonder why he was so alone. Very odd. So the message behind the movie was something I took to heart in the past year. It's a great film. Every man should see it. Life is short. Make the most of it. And always, always beg forgiveness from your girlfriend 'cause you're most likely wrong. You just don't know it yet. Hyuk, hyuk!

Speaking of short lives. I discovered something pretty grim today. I apparently will die on Sunday, July 19, 2054. So, if you're morbid like me, you'll enjoy getting this extra info so you plan out the rest of your miserable existence. Check out The Death Clock.